Individual variations in health and disease cannot only be explained by genetics, but rather by a combination of genetics and epigenetics. Epigenetics is defined as the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur without any changes in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to reversible changes in gene expression which in turn affect the phenotype of the organism. The epigenome is inherited to the daughter cells during mitosis but epigenetic patterns can also be inherited transgenerationally. Most environmental factors like nutrition, stress and endocrine disruptors, do not cause genetic mutations but they can promote epigenetic alterations. Nutrition is one of the main environmental factors that can induce epigenetic changes in an organism and thereby influence gene expression and health. The aim of this project was to study the impact of iron and zinc deficiency on the epigenome and phenotype of S. cerevisiae by investigating the resistance against heat and oxidative stress. Iron deficiency induced a change in the phenotype of S. cerevisiae, which was observed as reduced oxidative stress resistance and inherited for three generations. Zinc deficiency also resulted in a phenotype with reduced oxidative stress tolerance that was inherited for two generations. In addition, a phenotype with reduced heat stress resistance was induced by zinc deficiency, but this alteration was not shown to be reversible. The observed phenotypic changes were most likely caused by epigenetic modifications, but this have to be confirmed in further studies by examining the epigenome on a molecular level. Because of these changes in phenotype, it was also concluded that S. cerevisiae can be used as an efficient model organism for studies in nutritional epigenetics, with the goal to improve health and prevent diseases

BibTeX @misc{Blinge2016,author={Blinge, Hanna},title={Epigenetic Effects of Iron and Zinc Deficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Investigation of heat and oxidative stress resistance for discovering phenotypic alterations induced by iron and zinc deficiency},abstract={Individual variations in health and disease cannot only be explained by genetics, but rather by a combination of genetics and epigenetics. Epigenetics is defined as the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur without any changes in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to reversible changes in gene expression which in turn affect the phenotype of the organism. The epigenome is inherited to the daughter cells during mitosis but epigenetic patterns can also be inherited transgenerationally. Most environmental factors like nutrition, stress and endocrine disruptors, do not cause genetic mutations but they can promote epigenetic alterations. Nutrition is one of the main environmental factors that can induce epigenetic changes in an organism and thereby influence gene expression and health. The aim of this project was to study the impact of iron and zinc deficiency on the epigenome and phenotype of S. cerevisiae by investigating the resistance against heat and oxidative stress. Iron deficiency induced a change in the phenotype of S. cerevisiae, which was observed as reduced oxidative stress resistance and inherited for three generations. Zinc deficiency also resulted in a phenotype with reduced oxidative stress tolerance that was inherited for two generations. In addition, a phenotype with reduced heat stress resistance was induced by zinc deficiency, but this alteration was not shown to be reversible. The observed phenotypic changes were most likely caused by epigenetic modifications, but this have to be confirmed in further studies by examining the epigenome on a molecular level. Because of these changes in phenotype, it was also concluded that S. cerevisiae can be used as an efficient model organism for studies in nutritional epigenetics, with the goal to improve health and prevent diseases},publisher={Institutionen för biologi och bioteknik, Livsmedelsvetenskap, Chalmers tekniska högskola,},place={Göteborg},year={2016},keywords={Epigenetics, Phenotype, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Iron deficiency, Zinc deficiency, Heat stress, Oxidative stress, Hydrogen peroxide},note={58},}

RefWorks RT GenericSR ElectronicID 239309A1 Blinge, HannaT1 Epigenetic Effects of Iron and Zinc Deficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Investigation of heat and oxidative stress resistance for discovering phenotypic alterations induced by iron and zinc deficiencyT2 Epigenetic Effects of Iron and Zinc Deficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Investigation of heat and oxidative stress resistance for discovering phenotypic alterations induced by iron and zinc deficiencyYR 2016AB Individual variations in health and disease cannot only be explained by genetics, but rather by a combination of genetics and epigenetics. Epigenetics is defined as the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur without any changes in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to reversible changes in gene expression which in turn affect the phenotype of the organism. The epigenome is inherited to the daughter cells during mitosis but epigenetic patterns can also be inherited transgenerationally. Most environmental factors like nutrition, stress and endocrine disruptors, do not cause genetic mutations but they can promote epigenetic alterations. Nutrition is one of the main environmental factors that can induce epigenetic changes in an organism and thereby influence gene expression and health. The aim of this project was to study the impact of iron and zinc deficiency on the epigenome and phenotype of S. cerevisiae by investigating the resistance against heat and oxidative stress. Iron deficiency induced a change in the phenotype of S. cerevisiae, which was observed as reduced oxidative stress resistance and inherited for three generations. Zinc deficiency also resulted in a phenotype with reduced oxidative stress tolerance that was inherited for two generations. In addition, a phenotype with reduced heat stress resistance was induced by zinc deficiency, but this alteration was not shown to be reversible. The observed phenotypic changes were most likely caused by epigenetic modifications, but this have to be confirmed in further studies by examining the epigenome on a molecular level. Because of these changes in phenotype, it was also concluded that S. cerevisiae can be used as an efficient model organism for studies in nutritional epigenetics, with the goal to improve health and prevent diseasesPB Institutionen för biologi och bioteknik, Livsmedelsvetenskap, Chalmers tekniska högskola,LA engLK http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/239309/239309.pdfOL 30